HIGHLIGHTS

The AAP government has protested against DMRC's decision to increase Metro fare. Photo: PTI.

HIGHLIGHTS

DMRC has called an emergency board meeting to discuss Metro fare hike

Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government has protested against fare hike

Delhi Assembly passed a resolution against the Metro fare hike

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has called an emergency board meeting tonight to discuss the fare hike issue. At the meeting, the DMRC board is likely to consider the Delhi government's proposal to review the proposed metro fare hike. Before the board meeting, DMRC officials are me

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has called an emergency board meeting tonight to discuss the fare hike issue. At the meeting, the DMRC board is likely to consider the Delhi government's proposal to review the proposed metro fare hike.

Before the board meeting, DMRC officials are meeting officials of the Urban Development ministry at Nirman Bhavan and trying to find a middle path on the Metro fare hike issue.

Earlier in the day, the Delhi Assembly passed a resolution against the Metro fare hike which is set to be enforced from Tuesday. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleged that a hike in Metro fares will benefit cab aggregators such as Ola and Uber.

Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party has been protesting against the proposed Metro fare hike. The DMRC, on the other hand, has defended its decision and said that its input costs have gone up over the years and the fare hike is at par with Metro rails in other cities.

Last week, the Centre informed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that it cannot put on hold the proposed hike unless his government provides Rs 3,000 crore annually to DMRC as grant-in-aid for the next five years. Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri told Kejriwal that the Metro Act does not allow the Centre to put on hold the fare hike.

In response, Arvind Kejriwal said that the Delhi government was ready to pay Rs 1,500 crore a year, if the Centre was ready to fund the other half as the "Central government and the Delhi government are 50-50 owners of DMRC".

"As for your suggestion regarding a grant to DMRC for meeting the gap in their operating finances, my government is willing to bear half the grant if only a matching grant is provided by the Central government," the Delhi chief minister wrote to Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri.

In the Delhi Assembly today, transport minister Kailash Gahlot said that Delhi Metro was not made to be a world-class profitable venture but it'll be world class when people leave their vehicles and use it. Other members of the ruling AAP said that they will protest if Metro fares are hiked.